Machine for cutting cloth for buttons.



P. P. MOORE.

MACHINE FOR CUTTING CLOTH FOR BUTTONS.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 28, 1914.

1 1 5 1 ,032. Patented Aug. 24, 1915.

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abiomw 5 P. P. MOORE.

MACHINE FOR CUTTING CLOTH FOR BUTTONS.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 28,;1914- Patented Aug. 24, 1915.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.-

3440214 601, fifl/i laaren M M H a 9 PHILIP P. MOORE, OF GLOUCESTER, MASSACHUSETTS.

IVIACHINE FOR CUTTING CLOTH FOR BUTTONS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Aug. 24, 1915.

Application filed July 28, 1914. Serial N0.'853,662.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, PHILIP P. Moons, citizen of the United States, residing at Gloucester, in the county of Essex and State of Massachusetts, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Machines for Cutting Cloth for Buttons, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to new and useful improvements in machines of the type employed in cutting cloth into small pieces of various shapes and designs.

More particularly my invention has reference to machines of the above character which are utilized in cutting the cloth coverings for button collets.

The principal object of my inventionis to provide a machine of the above character which is relatively simple in construction, and may be easily operated either manually or by power to cut a maximum number of collet covers within a given time.

A further and more specific object of my invention is to provide a cloth cutting machine which consists essentially in a table, a reciprocating knife, a fixed ejector, and an operating means which is adapted to alternately move the knife into engagement with a piece of cloth placed on the table and to then return the knife into engagement with the ejector so that in case a cloth disk remains in the knife it will be removed therefrom by the ejector prior to the next downward movement of the knife.

Another object is to construct the machine with such regard to number, proportion and arrangement of parts that it may be cheaply manufactured, will be durable and efficientin service, and will permit broken or worn out parts to be replaced by new parts with a minimum expenditure of time and labor.

The above recited and other incidental ob jects of a similar nature are accomplished by such means as are illustrated in the accompanying drawings, described in the fol lowing specification, and then more particularly pointed out in the claims, which are appended hereto and form a part of this ap plication.

lVith reference to the drawings, wherein there has been illustrated the preferred embodiment of this invention as it is reduced to practice and throughout the several views of which, similar reference characters designate corresponding parts, Figure 1 is a perspective view of the machine with the parts thereof in operative assembled relation; Fig. 2 is a vertical section taken transversely of the machine through the ejector; Fig. 3 is a detail section taken diametrically through the knife socket; Fig. 4 is a perspective view showing the under side of the knife section and the preferred form of knife withdrawn therefrom; Fig. 5 is a detail perspective View of a modified form of knife; and Fig. 6 is a section on the line 66 of Fig. 5.

The embodiment of my invention shown 1n the accompanying drawings consists primarily in a table or bench, a vertically reciprocable knife, a stationary ejector, and an operating mechanism for the knife.

The table or bench includes a top slab 10, which is supported by three corner legs 11, 12 and 13 (the last numbered leg being shown in dotted lines in Fig. 1), and a centrally located leg 14. The top slab 10 is preferably quinquangular in shape, although, if so desired, it may be of any other design. The upper terminals of the legs 11, 12 and 13 are braced by means of a metallic band of strap metal, indicated at 15. The lower terminals of the legs 11 and 14 are connected by a strap metal band which is doubled upon itself at its approximate central point, producing the parallel portions 16 and 17. The bight portion of this band embraces the lower terminal of the member 11 and is secured thereto by nails, screws or similar fastening devices, indicated at 18. The free terminals of the portions 16 and 17 are secured by similar fastening devices 19 to the opposite faces of the lower terminal of the leg 14, as will be clearly apparent upon reference to Fig. 1. A metallic band or strip 20 connects the lowerterminal portions of the legs 12 and 13, being secured thereto by fastening devices 21. The terminal portions of this band 20 are directed inwardly, as at 22, in the direction of the leg 14, and are then bent at their extreme terminals to provide the plates 23 which engage flatly against the opposite sides of the leg 14 immediately above the free terminals of the members 16 and 17. Fastening devices, indicated at 24, are employed in securing the members 23 to the leg 14.

From the foregoing description, it will be observed that, while the table is extremely simple in construction, it is nevertheless so designed that it will be more .than ordinarily durable in service, and may be manufactured at a relatively low cost.

The knife is, as previously stated, mounted for vertical reciprocation, and is for this purpose removably secured to a knifebar or beam 26. The beam 26 is provided in its.under face and at the approximate central point thereof with a socket in which the knife may be removably seated. This socket is illustrated in detail in Fig. 4: and is formed by coring out the under face of the member 26 to provide two relatively deep, diametrically opposed recesses 27 and 28 which communicate with an inset annular groove 29. Disposed between the recesses 27 and 28 and arranged upon opposite sides thereof is a stop shoulder 30, the function of which is to limit the rotation of the knife carried lugs 31 when these members are inserted through the recesses 27 and 28 and turned in the groove 29.

It is now to be observed that, as shown in Fig. 1, the preferred form of knife is annular in shape and is provided at its upper terminal with the diametrically opposed, laterallyextending lugs, heretofore designated by the numeral 31. It will be plainly seen that the knife may be easily attached to or removed from the beam 26 by inserting the lugs 31 in the recesses 27 and 28 and then giving the knife a partial turn to dispose the lugs within the groove 29, or by reversely rotating the knife to bring the lugs into registration with the recesses 27 and 28 and then withdrawing the lugs from the beam.

An opening, indicated at 32, is formed in the beam in registration with the socket. This opening is of a diameter approximately equal to the diameter of the ejector 33. This member 33 is formed from a metallic sleeve provided with a plurality of longitudinally extending bifurcations 341 which produce a plurality of circumferentially spaced resilient fingers 35. These fingers 35 are adapted to enter the opening 32 and to pass into the knife 25 in the manner shown in Fig.2, so as to eject from the knife any cloth disk which may stick therein after the knife has been moved down onto the table and into engagement with a piece of cloth arranged thereon. The upper terminal of the ejector is inserted through an opening formed in the approximate center of a bar 36 and is held therein by means of a bolt or pin 37.

The ejector bar 36 is preferably formed of wood and is held in the desired spaced relation to the slab 10 by a pair of verti cally extending rods 38. These rods 38 are arranged in a common plane and are threaded at both their upper and lower terminals. The lower terminals of the members 38 are inserted through the slab 10, being limited in their movement therethrough by means of annular stop shoulders 39 which bear against the upper face of the slab. Nuts, indicated at 10, are threaded on the lower terminals of the members 38 for the obvious purpose of preventing the upward movement of the rods. A pair of nuts 11 are threaded on the upper terminals of the members 38 such a distance as to permit the extreme terminals of the rods 38 to pass completely through the terminals of the bar 36. -A second pair of nuts 12 are then threaded onto the upper terminals of the rods in such manner as to hold the bar 36 in fixed position.

The rods 38 serve not alone asa supporting means for the ejector carrying bar 36, for they also act as guide rods for the knife beam 26 during the reciprocation of this member. It is now to be noted, particularly upon reference to Figs. 1 and 2, that longitudinally spaced bores or openings 13 are formed adjacent to the terminals of the knife beam 26, and that the rods 38 are received within these bores. It will be plainly seen that the beam 26 is freeto slide vertically on the rods 38. In order to limit the downward movement of the beam 26, I provide each rod 38 with a stop lug or shoulder, indicated at 14:.

The operating means employed in reciprocating the knife beam 26 includes, as best shown in Fig. 1, a foot lever 15, a connecting beam or lever 5 .6, and a yoke member which consists of the two rods 17 and 4:8. The foot lever or treadle a5 is pivoted at its forward terminal on a pin 19 within a slot which is formed in the leg 11. The'member -15 extends rearwardly from the leg 11 and is mounted for movement through a longitudinally extending slot which is formed in the central leg 1 1. The connecting beam or lever 16 is pivoted at its rear terminal in the slot 50 at the upper end thereof by a pivot pin 51, and is freely connected at its forward terminal to the member at a point between the legs 11 and 1 1 by means of parallel links 51. The rods 17 and 48, which,

as above stated. constitute the connecting yoke, are flattened at their lower terminals to produce the apertured ears 52 which are engaged against opposite faces of the member -16 at a point intermediate the length thereof and are pivotally attached by means of a pin 53. The rods are bowed outwardly, as at 541, at a point immediately above the member 16 and are then bent to extend vertically, as indicated at 55. Thevertically extending portions of the yoke rods 17 and 48 are passed through the terminals of the knife beam 26 and are held against movement therethro-ugh by means of spaced nuts 56 and 57.

It will be readily apparent upon reference to Fi g. 1 particularly that the depression of the free terminal of the treadle 45 will.

through the medium of the links '51 and connecting lever l6, draw the rods 47 and 4:8 downwardly through the top slab 10 of the table. As a result the beam 26 will be moved downwardly on the guide rods 38 and the lower edge of the knife blade 25 will be forced into engagen'icnt with the piece of cloth which has been placed on the table.

As a means for returning the knife beam to its normal position shown in Fig. 2, so that the ejector will pass into the knife for removing any piece of cloth which may stick therein, I provide a. weight 58. This weight is connected by a cable 59 to the treadle 45 adjacent the outer terminal thereof by means of an eyelet 60. This cable passes over a pair of pulleys 61 and 62 which are journaled in a slot 63 formed in the leg 11 adjacent the upper terminal thereof. The cable is also passed over a pair of pulleys Get and 65 which are ournaled in a slot 66 formed in the member 14 and at a point above the slot 50. The weight 58 will, of course, tend to fall until the beam 26 has been moved upwardly into engagement with the nuts 4-1.

It has been found preferable in practice to employ in connection with the table top a buffer block 67. This block may be of any suitable composition, although it is preferably of some soft wood, such as white pine. It will be obvious upon reference to Fig. 1 particularly that the block may be placed beneath the knife 25 so as to receive the thrust thereof. The cloth to be cut is, of course, placed on the block 67.

l/Vhen it is desired to form plain cloth disks, Iemploy the preferred form of knife, heretofore designated by the numeral 25. In some instances, however, it is desirable to form a circular opening in the center of the cloth disks. In such an event, I employ the modified form of knife shown in Figs. 5 and 6. This modified knife consists in an outer cylindrical sleeve 68 and an innertubu lar or cylindrical sleeve69,whichisarranged concentrically with respect to the member (38 and is rigidly held in the proper position by means of radial webs 70. The edges of the lower terminals of -the members (38 and 69 are, of course, sharpened to a knife edge. It will be apparent that a knife of the character shown in Figs. 5 and 6 will, of course, cut from a piece of cloth a disk which is provided with a central. opening. It is now to be observed that the webs 70 of the modified form of knife may be received within the slots or bifurcations 34: of the ejector when the knife returns to normal position. Diametrically opposed, laterally extending lugs 71, similar to the members 31, are provided for the modified form of knife.

In reduction to practice, it has been found that the form of this invention illustrated in the drawings, and referred to in the above description as the preferred emb-odiment, is the most eflicient and practical; yet realizing that the conditions concurrent with the adoption of this device will necessarily vary, it is desirable to emphasize the fact that various minor changes in details of construction, proportion and arrangement of parts may be resorted to, when required, with out sacrificing any of the advantages of this invention, as defined in the appended claims.

Havingthus described the invention,what is claimed as new is 1. A machine of the character described including a table, a knife vertically reciprocable with respect thereto, a fixed ejector mounted above the table and engageable with the knife upon the upward movement thereof for ecting material from the knife, means operable for depressing the knife into engagement with the table, and gravity actuated means arranged beneath the tab-1e and connected to said first means for normally maintaining the knife in engagement with the ejector.

2. A machine of the character described including a table having a knife mounted for vertical reciprocation above the table, means carried by the table and guiding the knife in its vertical movement, a fixed ejector mounted in vertical spaced relation to the table and engageable with the knife upon the upward movement thereof for removing .material from the knife, said ejector being secured to said means, a treadle pivoted in the table, a yoke member connected to the knife and slidable through the top of the table, and means freely connecting the treadle and yoke whereby the knife may be reciprocated.

8. A machine of the character described including a table having a knife mounted for vertical reciprocation above the table, a fixed ejector mounted in vertical spaced relation to the table and engageable with the knife upon the upward H10V6111611t thereof for removing material from the knife, a treadle pivoted in the table, a yoke member connected to the knife and slidable through the top of the table, means freely connecting the treadle and yoke whereby the knife may be reciprocated, and a gravity actuated means connected to the treadle for normally holding the knife in elevated position and in engagement with the ejector.

4. A machine of the character described including a table, spaced vertical guide rods rising therefrom, a bar secured at the upper terminals of the rods, an ejector depending from the bar, a knife member, a knife carrying bar mounted for vertical sliding movement on said rods, a treadle, a yoke freely connecting the knife carrying bar to the treadle, the treadle being operable for vertically reciprocating the knife bar, and

ravity actuated means connected to the treadle for normally holding the knife carrying bar in elevated position whereby the ejector is engaged with the knife.

5. A machine of the character described including an annular knife mounted for vertical reciprocation, means for operating the knife, a fixed ejector consisting of a cylindrical member provided with a plurality of longitudinal bifurcations defining spaced circumferentially extending fingers, said ejector being of a diameter less than the internal diameter of the knife, and means for normally holding the knife in elevated position whereby the ejector projects into the knife.

6. A machine of the character described, including a vertical reciprocatable cutting knife consisting of concentrically arranged annular members and radial webs connecting the same, means for reciprocating the knife, means for normally maintaining the knife in elevated position, and a fixed ejector having a plurality of circumferentially spaced fingers adapted to pass between the annular members of the knife and between the webs thereof when the knife is elevated, said fingers upon entering the knife being adapted to eject therefrom any material lodged therein.

7 A machine of the character described including a table, a pair of vertical guide rods rising from the table, stop members formed intermediate the length of the guide rods, a knife bar mounted for vertical sliding movement on the guide rods and limited in its downward movement by the stopmembers, a knife depending from the bar, a yoke terminally connected to the ter minals of the bar, the arms of the yoke being slidable through the table, and a treadle whereby the bar may be vertically reciprocated on the guide rods.

8. "A.machine of the character described including a table, vertical guide rods rising from the table in parallel spaced relation to each other, an ejector bar terminally secured to the upper terminals of the guide rods, an ejector depending from the said bar, a knife bar mounted for sliding movement on the guide rods, stop members formed on the guide rods adjacent their lower terminals for limiting the downward movement of the knife bar, a knife depending from the knife bar and disposed to receive the ejector when in elevated position, and a treadle operatively connected to the knife bar whereby the same may be vertically reciprocated.

9. A machine of the character described including a table, having corner legs and a centrally located leg, a vertically reciprocable knife mounted above the table, a treadle arranged below the top of the table and operable for reciprocating the knife, pulleys journaled in the center leg and one of the corner legs, a cable passing over the pulleys and connected at one terminal to the treadle, and a weight connected to the other terminal of the cable for normally maintaining the knife in elevated inactive position.

10. A machine of the character described including a table, a knife bar mounted for vertical reciprocation relative to the table, shoulders formed on said bar, a knife detachably engaging said shoulders for connecting the knife with the bar, and means for reciprocating the knife bar.

11. A machine of the character described including a table, a knife bar mounted for vertical reciprocation relative to the table, the said bar having reversely arranged curved shoulders formed thereon, a knife provided with lugs detachably engaging said shoulders for connecting the knife with the bar, and means for reciprocating the knife bar.

12. A machine of the character described including a table, a knife bar mounted for vertical reciprocation relative to the table, said bar having a recess formed therein and being provided with a laterally extending groove opening into said recess, there being oppositely disposed recesses communicating with said groove and with said first mentioned recess, a stop shoulder arranged in said groove upon each side of said oppositely disposed recesses, a knife having oppositely disposed lugs formed thereon, said lugs being receivable within said oppositely disposed recesses with the adjacent terminal of the knife fitting within said first mentioned recess whereby the knife may be rotated to dispose the lugs within the groove to engage said stop shoulders, and means for reciprocating the knife bar.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

PHILIP P. MOORE.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of rat'ents, Washington, D. 0. 

